274 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



been given an antiseptic bath such as a 1 to 10,000 bichloride of mercury solution 

 and their hands anointed with 5 per cent carbolic salve. 



When measles occurs in the family of the farmer, the house should be quar- 

 antined and the same precautions taken as for scarlet fever. 



CHICKEN POX. 



Milkers should neither have nor come in contact with chicken-pox cases. 

 Chicken-pox cases during convalescence should not be permitted to come in con- 

 tact with the handling of milk in any way until the scaling has been completed 

 and they have been given an antiseptic bath, such as a 1 to 10,000 bichloride of 

 mercury solution, and their hands anointed with 5 per cent carbolic salve. When 

 chicken pox occurs in the families of the farmer, milkers, or other attendants, 

 the house should be quarantined and the same precautions taken as for scarlet 

 fever and measles. 



Rule 53. Milking m the production of clean milk. Before each milking the 

 udder should be wiped with a clean damp cloth or washed with soap and water 

 if necessary. The hands should be washed before starting to milk and again 

 well dried with a clean towel. The hands and teats should be kept dry during 

 milking. If they become moistened with milk, they should be wiped dry with 

 a clean towel. Suitable clean outer garments, such as overalls and jumpers, 

 should be put on before milking. The milk stool must be clean. Milking should 

 be done regularly, having the periods of as nearly equal length as possible. 

 The first few streams from each teat should be rejected. The first half of the 

 milk given should not be separated from the latter half or strippings and be sold 

 separately. The top of the milk pail should be as small as possible not larger 

 than 6 or 8 inches to keep out dirt, and if anything falls into the milk, such 

 as straw or manure, then the milk should be rejected. The milk from each cow 

 should be removed from, the stable immediately after it is obtained. 



Rule 54. Milk cans and utensils for keeping and shipping of clean milk. All 

 utensils used in the production and shipping of milk, such as cans, covers, bot- 

 tles, dippers, skimmers, measures, strainers, stirrers, etc., must be so constructed 

 that all parts are absolutely free from places where milk can accumulate or 

 soak in, so that it can not be removed by simple washing. The surface coming 

 in contact with milk and cream must be smooth and free from excessive rust. 

 All utensils, including cans, must be kept scrupulously clean, inside and out- 

 side, at all times. They should be cleansed by washing with a brush and soap 

 or washing powder and hot water and thorough rinsing. After this cleansing 

 they should be sterilized with boiling water and then kept inverted in a place 

 free from dust and flies. Strainers, whether metal, gauze, or cotton, must be 

 absolutely clean when used for the straining of milk. Milk cans should be used 

 for no other purpose. Bottle caps must be kept in clean, covered, dry, and dust- 

 proof receptacles. All cans and utensils must be free from defects and rough 

 or uneven surfaces. 



Rule 55. Care of milk on the dairy farm. The room where utensils, milk 

 pails, strainers, and the milk are kept should be separated from both the house 

 and the stable and be used only for dairy purposes. It should be kept neat, 

 clean, well ventilated, and free from flies and dust. No odds and ends or other 

 unnecessary things should be stored in the milk room. The milk room must be 

 free from odor. 



Milk should be strained through a piece of clean linen or cotton, then it should 

 be rapidly cooled to 50 F. within two hours after milking and kept below that 

 temperature until delivery. The evening milk must not be mixed with the 

 morning milk, and old milk must not be mixed with the fresh. The cans must 

 be tightly closed when kept in the cooler and sealed when hauled to the milk 

 platform. During this transportation they must be covered and protected from 

 the heat. This is best accomplished by carrying in a covered spring wagon. 

 Cans should never be delivered too early to the milk platform. They should 

 be covered with a damp cloth in the warm weather while standing there. 



Rule 56. Water supply in relation to clean milk. The water supply on the 

 farm must be ample and free from any danger of pollution with animal matter 

 or refuse. Water used for the washing of cans and utensils must be free from 

 all nitrites and not contain more than nine thousandths of 1 part of free 

 ammonia and nine thousandths of 1 part of albuminoid ammonia in 100,000 

 parts. It must not contain more than 1,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter and 

 be free from pathogenic bacteria, including colon bacilli. Water from sloughs 

 ponds, ditches, or other sources subject to contamination must never be used 



